Should we allow to kill tigers in the name of research?

On 31st January 2008, the daily “Prothom Alo” discovered a painful story. They reported on cause of abnormal death of some Royal Bengal Tigers in Sunderban. The sunderban is the world famous mangrove forest full of wild animals.

Report says at least two tigers have killed while the research was going on. Adam Barlow from Minnesota University of USA is the leader of this research process. Tigers had awarded “Radio Collar” on their body with a view to know about their life but according to the report that invited death.

According to the researcher, “Radio Collar” could bring information about tiger’s nature, life style, food habit, hunting process, sexual live etc. However, this type of research has banned in many countries including India, Thailand, Nepal and Russia. It is true Bangladesh is not yet. Why the authority tolerate the research is a Question remain.

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The Forestry Department of Bangladesh Government, has Set a bar to prevent using “Radio Collar” tranquilising to the tigers. Moreover, the authority ordered to remove all the traps and asked the team members of Adam Barlow, the researcher to refrain from all of their activities in this purpose until next notice. The leading daily “Prothom Alo” has published detail about this. You may have a look on today’s (1st February 2008) The Prothom Alo. This link may help Bengali readers. http://www.prothom-alo.com/index.news.details.php?nid=MTM3Mzc=....

The latest development of reports about Royal Bengal Tiger is as follows....

The Bengali daily “Prothom Alo” today (6 February 2008) has published a rejoinder of Team leader of researchers “Adam Barlow” and comment of the concern reporter.

Adam Barlow termed the report of “Prothom Alo” on tiger (published on 31 January 2008) as untrue and a barrier to protect the Royal Bengal Tigers of Bangladesh. He said, for that; report Radio Collar awarding initiative in Chandpai area (adjacent Sunderban) is now stopped. Now the villagers do not know where the tigers are, when they may attack again.

Though the report of the newspaper mentioned that research on tiger awarding of Radio Collar is banned in most of the countries of the world, Adam Barlow contradicted and claimed that Radio Collar has already awarded to six tigers in Thailand, 36 in Nepal and 30 in Russia.

In the rejoinder, Barlow has mentioned that both of the tigers, which was tranquilised, were very aged and for old age, even their teeth, were broken. For research purpose, in 2005, the first tiger “Queen of Jamtala” and in 2 March 2006, second tiger “Queen of Saplakhali” was awarded Radio Collar on request of local people. “Queen of Jamtala” died after six months. The tiger died as it could not protect itself from the attack of other tigers, he claimed. In the case of second tiger, the Radio Collar was removed after observation of nine months. After that tiger was freed, it was under observation for another three days.

Though the newspaper report mentioned that Radio collar and the medicine (Tilazole) is harmful for tigers, actually it is being used on hundreds of wild lives. It is a widely used medicine. It is not banned in any country of the world.

Comment of the concern Reporter:

This reporter has reported the ongoing debate about the death of tigers after awarding Radio Collar. In the rejoinder, Adam Barlow claimed that the “Queen of Jamtala” was aged. Then the question is why he did set trap for that tiger to make unconscious for awarding Radio Collar if he knew the tiger is too old? Moreover, why they removed the Radio Collar of the second tiger after nine months, Barlow did not mention in his rejoinder. The Radio Collar removal sequence was shown on BBC’s documentary “The Ganges”. That tiger seemed to be very week in the picture.

If the observer and local people can know the whereabouts of the Radio Collar awarded tigers, it is not tough for the poachers to know the same thing. Then how much safety will it provide for the tiger?

They are claiming that Radio Collar system for tiger is widely used. However, Researcher Bhogalnest of Tarango Zoo in New South Wales mentioned in his article titled “Tiger anaesthesia” that, use of Tilazole is harmful and it creates long-term effect on tiger’s central nervous system. It may cause death of tigers. This article was published in “Ost-Vest” paper on 6 June 1999. For Bengali readers the reference is http://www.prothom-alo.com/index.news.details.php?nid=MTM4NTk=